Uber expands meal delivery pilot to Hong Kong

Uber, ever inching beyond ridesharing, today announced a temporary meal delivery service in Hong Kong. Launched in partnership with Hong Kong-based meal-in-a-box startup Secret Ingredient, Uber says the test will last just one day.

Uber launched its “UberFresh” meal delivery service in Santa Monica, Calif., this summer and promised to expand the service “in areas that reflect high demand.” Apparently demand in Hong Kong warranted today’s expansion, although Uber isn’t using the UberFresh brand name this time around.

Because Uber tests its product experiments locally (and rather publicly), small-scale projects aren’t special on their own. These experiments do, however, add up to reveal a clear trend for Uber. As its product delivery and courier service pilots invade Washington D.C. and New York, Uber is clearly aiming to compete with on-demand delivery services like WunWun, Google Shopping, Instacart, and Postmates.

And the more Uber toys with the idea, the easier it is for us to assume that the company’s future relies on moving products — not just people.